Timer mechanism



Aug. 30, 1949. G. MORSE 2,480,760

' TIMER MEGHANI SM Filed Aug. 17, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 6 2827? Mar-ere. Y

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Aug. 30, 1949.

Filed Aug. 17, 1945 G. MORSE v 2,480,760

TIMER MECHANISM 4; sheets-sheet 2 Au 30, 1949. G. MORSE 2,480,760

TIMER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 17, 1945- 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. ga s/ M 01 5 6.

Aug. 30, 1949. 5. MORSE 2,480,760

TIMER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 17,1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 atented Aug. 30, 1949 TIMER MECHANISM Glenn Morse, Ann Arbor, Mich., assignor to King Seeley Corporation, Ann Arbor,

poration of Michigan Mich., a cor- Application August 17, 1945, Serial No. 611,115

1 Claim. (01. m n

The present invention relates to timing devices employing clock movements, and is particularly directed to the provision of improved arrangementsfor maintaining such movements at rest in variousirotative "positions of the associated main arbor... and for'insuring proper starting thereof. An illustrative application of the invention is in connection'with timers for use in connection with stoves, washing machines, and other appliances.

"Principal objects of the present invention are to provide timing mechanisms of the above indicated types, whicha're simple in arrangement, economical of'manufacture and assembly, and which are reliable and efficient in operation; to provide'such timers employing, an escapement mechanism, and further employing improved control means for cooperating with the escape with the verge arm to insure the proper starting of the escapement mechanismpto provide such mechanisms wherein the controlmeans is actuatedin response to the movement of the main arbor; andto'generally improve and simplify the construction and arrangement of mechanisms of theabovetype. H I

With theabove as well as otherand more detailed objects in view, which appear in the following ..description and in the appended claims, a

preferred but illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, throughout. the several views of which corresponding reference characters are used to designate,correspondingparts and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a timer 1 embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is. a view in side elevation of the structure of Figure 1; g Figure 3 is a view, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4-is a view corresponding to Figure 3, with the bell removed;

Figure 5 is a view in rear elevation ofthestruc: I ture of Figure 1, with the cover'removed, taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 7 Figure 6 is a'view in front elevation of the timer movement, takenlalong the line 6-45 of Figure '7, showing theparts in one of two possible starting positions;

Figure 7 is a view in section, taken along the line l-'I of Figure 6, which, it will be noted, extends through all of the axes of the movable elements of the timer movement;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of certain of the escapement elements and of the cooperating controlmeans, showing the normal running positions thereof;

=Figure 9 is a fragmentary view, based upon Figure '7, and showing the parts in another possible starting position; I

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view, based upon Figure '7, and showing the parts in the so-called fully wound position;

Figure llis a fragmentary view, partly in section, taken along the line Illl of Figure 10; and,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view, taken along the line l2-|2 of Figure 10.

It will beappreciated from a complete understanding of g the present invention, that, in a generic sense, the improvements may be embodied in a wide-variety of timing devices, intended for widely differing applications. As mentioned above,-a preferred but. illustrative application of the invention is in connection with so-called stove timers, washing machine timers, and the like.

In such timers, the clock movement is normally maintainedat rest ata so-called starting position. A'windingineans, such as a knob, is usually provided which may be turned in one direction through all or any desired part of a full revolution, during which movement the main spring is wound, Except as noted below, upon release of the winding means, the clock movement drives the main arbor in a reverse direction 'until the starting'position is reached, at which time the movement is agai'ntautomatically brought to rest. At the'starting position also, suitable signal means may be actuated. For example, the signal means may take the form of an electric switch, a bell, or other instrumentality and consequently the term signal means is used herein in a generic sense as referring to any instrumentality which responds to a predetermined degree of arbor movement. In certain cases also, it is desired to arrange the structure so that it will remain at rest in the fully wound position in which, for example, it may hold; a signal means such as an electric switch in desired closed or open position.

The present invention is particularly directed to the provision of improved means for stopping the timer movement at desired positions, such as the starting and fully wound positions and for also insuring the proper starting of the timer iechanisni. Since the elements which particularly characterize the present invention can be utilized with any of a variety of general timer constructions, the herein illustrated general timer mechanism will only be briefly described.

Referring to the drawings, the present coni struction comprises a movement 2!! which is dise posed within a substantially sealed enclosure com: prising a cup-shaped base member or housing 22 and a cover member 2A, which serves as a house ing for the main spring 26 and is referred to here-. inafter as the spring housing. The movement 25 comprises front and back movement plates 2% and 3B, which are hel in assembled relation to each other by a plurality of circumferentially spaced posts 32. Posts 32;; project outwardly from he mevemehtr-lat s fia d 3," an r re in, openings provided, therefor in the housing 22 and the. spring housing 24. Nuts 34 serve to hold the housing 22 in place relative to the posts 3.2%, hd; l. .5. 5.$ l insecure. t p n ng n plac u ta l me hssuch es h gasket serve toseal the jointbetwcen the marginal edges of members 22 and 24. r

In the illustrated instance, the signal mechanism is,a bell; 4.0, which isadapted to besounded When, in the course or a return movement, the main arbor 42 reaches the starting position. The bell. 4 8 is carried by the spring housing 24, and issecuredthereto by means of aset of circumferentially distributed studs 46, which are threaded intotapped openings provided in outwardly projecting bosses 43. With thisrelation, the main body of the bell is spaced fromthespringhousing.

Thearbor a2 proiectsthrough the baseof the bell; and, at. its outerenduia, is adapted to releasably receive a usual knob 50.

Thespringhousing 24 -is provided withanadditional pair of tapped openings 5 2, which receive screws for securingthetimer to a suitable mounting plate. (not shown), the, face of; which maybe providedwith graduations withwhich the pointed end. of. the. knob 58; cooperates. With reference toFigure a winding. actionis efiected by turn ing knobfiiliina clockwise direction, the unwinding or timing. movement being effected by enabling the clockwork or movement 21lto efiect a counterelockwisetravel of the arbor 42 andknob 5d, backtotheindicated starting position In order. to initially. adjust the mechanism so that-thetripping point, at. which bell 40 is sounded; and: at which. the'timer movement is stopped, shall accurately correspondto the Zero reading of the knob tfi, provision is. preferably made to rotatablyadjust the spring housing 24 relative to themovement. 20. As shown, spring housing z l-is provided withelongatedslots 5B, which adjustablyi receive thepreviously mentioned. posts, 32', and whichpermit. the. aforesaid adjustment.

Referring.nowmoreparticularly to the movement 2!), the arbor Alisrotatably supported-in bearings provided therefor in the frontandrear movement. plates. 28, and-38;. Externally of the movemen t plate. 23-, the arborg is fixedly con- 4 arranged and does not require a detailed description except to note that it permits a winding movement of the arbor 42 and of the main spring, without requiring a movement of the gear train, but causes an unwinding movement of the arbor to drive the gear train. In the drawings, a windin movement of the arbor corresponds to clockwise movement. thereof as viewed in Figures 4 and 6'.

With the foregoing arrangement, it will be appreciated that the knob 58 may be turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 throughout all or any desired fraction of a complete revo- 1 5 191 i i- 7 .31% which; movement the a pr n loading is. increased from the initial or minimum value toa correspondingly higher value. Neglecting v the full-wind, holding feature, which is described below, release of the knob 56 enables the main, spring 26 to drive the arbor 42 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 4 and 6.

During. the course ofthis unwinding movement, the arbor l2 drives the gear train, the rate of movement of which is controlled by theescapemerit mechanism 34, which consequently serves, to control the rate of the arbor movement. A.

'l'4,a bala lCewheel 7.6, and an adjustably mounted, balance. spring if, Theverge arm 12 is provided,

adjacent itslower end, with a pair of impulse pins 5 8 53 and 82which cooperate with the teeth of the escapewheel '58, At its upper end, the verge arm '52 is provided with a slot 84, which cooperates with theusual roller. pinSFiwhich is carried by the balance wheel '54. Further in accordance with conventionaLpractice, thebalance staff 14 is pro-- vided with, a, notch, 3.3. which permits the verge arm portions Stand. 92 to pass back and forth from one side to the other of the line which connectsthe verge arm and balance staff axes. Finally the verge arm isprovidedwithstop portions,

serves to actuatethe hammer mechanism and,"

soundv the bell, In case it is desired to utilize switch mechanism, the cooking action may, of course, beutilized to,either open or close the switch, and the tripping action may be utilized to eflect a reverse operation of the switch. In accordance. with thepresent invention, the cocking mechanism is also utilized. as described below, tocolltrol the automatic stopping of the timer movement at the starting position the holding thereof atthefullywound position, and the automatic starting thereof at the beginning of each,

n din mo ement.

More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, the,.cocking mechanism comprises a cam assemblywhichincludes a cooking cam- IE0 and a holding cam H32; Thecockingcam lilfi is driveither by, engagement of the cam shoulder I I on.

cam I02, with the pin II2-, which is carried by the hereinafter described hammer lever H4, or, by engagement of the inwardly turned flange I.l,6, on cam I02, with the surface II8 on cam I00. "Cam I00 is provided with a peripheral notch, one side of which. is constituted by the surfaceI I8 and the other side of which is constituted by the gradually sloping surface I20. In turn,.cam I02 is. provided with a notch, both sides.v H0. and H6 of which are rather sharply inclined;

The hammer lever H4 is of bell crank form, one-arm I22wh reof carries the previously mentionedapin H2, and the other arm I24 which cooperates with the hammer I26. Hammer lever H4, and hammer I26} are both carried by a shaft I,30,.jwhich has bearing support in the movementplates 28 and 30. Hammer lever I I 4 is drivinglyjconne'cted to..shaft-I30, and hammer I26 is loosely mounted thereon. A tension spring I32, one vend whereof is hooked over the hammer lever arm I22, and the other end whereof is anchored to .the rearmovem'ent'plate 30, continuously urges thehammer lever in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure which corresponds to a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure5. This action holds the hammer lever pin'TI I2. (which projects outwardly through a slot I36 .in the rear movement plate 36) at its inner limit, in which it abuts the base of the notch in the cam I00. A spring I40 surrounds shaft I30 andhas its respective ends I4I and I43, respectively, anchored to the hammer I26 and to the hammer lever arm I24. Spring I40 thus continuously urges hammer I26 to the positions shown inFigures 6 and 10, in which one side thereof abuts a flange I44 which is provided on the arm I24 of the hammer lever. A clockwise or cocking movement of the hammer lever I I4, as viewed in Figures 6 and 10, enables spring I40 to correspondingly swing the hammer I26 in a clockwise direction to a cocked position. To insure such a cocking movement, arm I24 is provided with an. additional flange. I46.

In the present instance, since the hammer I26 is mounted within the enclosure constituted by the housing'memb'ers 22 and 24, and since the bel'lt40 is mounted externally thereof, an intermediate connection is utilized between the hammer 'I 26 and the bell I40. More particularly, this intermediate connection comprises a spring pressed button I which is received in an opening provided therefor in the housing 22, and is continuously urged to the retracted position shown in Figure 6 by means of a compression spring I 52. In such position, button I50 seals off the. just-mentioned opening. A sounding movement'of the hammer serves to drive button I50 outwardly into engagement with the bell 46, against-the-force of the spring I52.

.In accordance with the present invention, the shaft-130 also carries a pair of relatively light sprin'gwires I and I62,'which are clamped in plitcethereon-between collars I64 and I66. Collars I364. and I66are press fitted on shaft I30.

-In.=the.n0rmalor startin p s t on of t im r.v

wires I60 and I62 occupy either the position shown in Figure 6, or the alternative position shown in Figure 9, depending upon the char acter of the stopping action as described below in connection with the operation of the device. In the position shown in Figure 6, the end of wire IEO lies behind the stop surface 94 on the verge arm I2, and holds it at an intermediate, approximately central, point in its stroke, in which the verge pin lies in blocking relation to a tooth of the escape wheel I0. In the alternate stopping position of Figure 9, the end of wire I60 rests upon the upper surface of the holding portion 94 of the verge arm I2 and, being stressed in such position, is effective to hold the verge arm I2 at or slightly beyond the normal righthand limit of the swing of the verge arm I2. In this position, the verge pin 82 lies in blocking relation to a cooperating tooth of the escape wheel assembly and prevents movement of the latter.

1 In the normal running position of the timer, shown in Figure 8, wires I66 and I62 are disposed outside of the path of the verge arm, and do not interfere with normal movements thereof.

In the fully wound position of the timer, shown in Figure 10, the end of wire I62 lies behind the holding surface 94 of the verge arm 72, and holds it at an intermediate point in its stroke, which blocks movement of the escape wheel I0 in the manner described in connection with Figure -6. The movement of wire I62 from the running position of Figure 8 to the holding position of Figure 16 takes place as a consequence of an added rocking movement of the hammer lever II4, which occurs at the completion of the winding movement, as is described below.

It is believed that any remaining pertinent details of the present timer may best be understoodfrom a description of the operation thereof.

As previously mentioned, the parts are shown in the normal or starting positions thereof, in which the wire I60 occupies one or the other of the stopping positions shown in Figures 6 and 9. To place the timer in operation, knob 50 may be turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 throughout a desired portion of the full range. 7 Such winding movement winds the.

main spring 26, but, by virtue of the ratchetclutch 60, does not cause a movement of the gear train. If it is desired to immediately re set the timer, knob 50 may be manually returned in a counterclockwise direction to the starting position. This movement is permitted, at a rate in excess of the escapement rate, by virtue of the friction clutch 66, which is interposed in the gear train 62.

The initial winding movement of the arbor 42 causes cam I00 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5, during which movement roller II2 of the hammer lever [i4 is cammed radially outwardly by the cam surface I20. Until such a time as roller H2 has moved radially outwardly far enough to clear the notch in the holding cam I62, the latter is forced, by the sharp shoulder IIO thereof, to rotate in a clockwise direction, about the pin I66, which is bodily moving with cam I00. Such relative movement loads the return spring I08. As soon as the winding movement of the arbor has progressed sufiiciently far to clear the end of the cam surface H0, by which time the roller I I2 is completely out of the notch in cam I00 and is riding on the cylindrical surface portion thereof, spring I08 is enabled torestore cam 102mg capement'.

greates- 7 theposition, relative to cam- I00, which is shown. in Figure In such position, theperipherak surface III of cam- I 02 also lies below and. in: supporting relation to roller' H 21 Asshown, the peripheralsurface' I I3- of cam I 00 pro ects slightly outwardly from the peripheral; surface portion HI, so as: toinsurethat spring Hi8: caneffect the just-mentioned returnmove'ment of-- c'a-m IIl-ZL The cooking movement of the hammer lever II' I, described above, also effects thepreviously mentioned cocking'movem'entof the hammer 52-6 and also rotates shaft" I30 swinging. wires I60 and I 6?! to the running position shown in Figure: 8, the movement of wire I452 being withouteffect in'- the operation now being described. Assume ing that wire I50 initially occupied the position shown in Figure 6, such movement thereofi obviously imparts a swinging movement to the verge arm I 2, enabling it, under the. influence or the balance spring, to oscillate back and forth); Assuming, on the other hand; that wire I 60 initially occupied the holding position shown in: Figure 9, such movement thereoi tothe running position of Figure 8', enables the now-'tully loaded balance spring to initiate a. swinging movement of't'he verge arm. In either instance, therefore; the cocking movement of the. hammer lever on ables spring I60 to impart a starting impulse to'the-verge arm I2; as a consequence.- of which:

it" makes a succession of oscillations.

It will'be understood that preferably the main: spring 26 1s partially loaded when the parts are in the starting position. This-i initial loadingg, plus the additional loading which results from: turning theknob 50 througheven a relatively small fraction of a complete revolution, enables the main spring to apply sufficient torque, through the escapement wheel, to:- start the es capement as soon as the knob: 50' is released at the conclusion of the starting movement. Abnormal circumstances mayintrod'uce sufficient frictional losses-into the gear. train to: reduce'the torque applied by the escapement wheel tothe? verge arm, following short winding movements. i

totoo-low a value to efiect a starting of the es- Such: circumstances are: taken careof by the above-mentioned starting. impulse That is to say, the above-mentioned startingimpuls'e is found to cause the vergearm to oscil-- late sufiiciently long that it' is stilliin motionat the conclusion of a short winding movement. Being in motion, the e'scapement readilycauses theunwinding movement' to begin as soonasthe knob- 59 1s released.

On'the-other' hand, if the-winding movementof the knob 50 is continued through aasufficientiy large angle as t'o enable' the verge' arm to come torest, following -the startingimpulse', such winds-- ingmovement loads the mainlspring sufficiently to insure that suificient starting torque-is-available at the escapement wheel.

Releaseof the knob 50'; oi course; enablesimaim spring 26 to drive the mainarbor'an'dltheigear" train 62 at the rate determined by. the escapee mentmechanism; during the course: oii which return movement cams Illll andl I82 rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure: 5. As the arbor approaches thestartingposition} the sloping'surf'ace I of cam Itl0=comesintor eg is try with the pin I'I2 ofthe:hammer 'lever: IBM- rendering cam I00= ineffective to holdi the lever H4 in the cooked position. At-this time; how

ever, cam I02 is effective to maintain lever El i in :the cooked position;

When. the starting. position is reached, the notch in the cam I02 comes into registry with pin H23. and enables the return: spring I32 to promptly snap lever: HE from: the cooked posttion to the normal position. During this return movement of the hammer lever, flange- I44' thereon, causes a corresponding. rapid outward swin of the hammer #25, during the course of which; it strikes the button I50, and causes" it to strike the bell sounding the latter, A limit to the swing of the'hammer I26 is afforded by'the'fian'ge' I 46 on the hamm'erlever, and the hammer: is also' quickly restored: to its normal position by its spring- I40; The: button. I50: is also promptly re turned to" its normal position by' itsspring I521:

The" return movement of the hammer lever: II'4 alsomoves wires I and I62 towards their starting. positions; Itwill be noticed: that the path of: travel of the end of wire F62 intersects the path of travel of the verge arm holding: sur'-- face 94 at a. point which is relatively near the normal right-hand limit of movement of the latter. In itsswinging movements,,according1y;. the holding surface 94' is out of rangeof the wire: I62- amajor'part, forexample, 75%, oithe time.- In a correspondingly major proportion of cases, accordingly, wire I56 is enabled to mov'e to the stopping position shown inFig-ure 6;. in: which it prevents completion of the next rightward swing. of the verge arm 12 and consequently stops-the timer movement; In' the remaining; instances; holding surface'geisinthe: path of movementof wire I60 during the return movement of the lat-- ter, and wire :60 consequently comes to'rest'instopping position shown in Figure 9; in" which-it prevents a leftward swing ofi the verge arm- 12'. In either event, the tripping movement of the hammer lever, is effective, through the wire- I60,

7 to promptly bring. the timer movement to rest:

With-such arrangement; the knob 5il always stops at thebell soundingv osition, which, by virtue of the adjustment permitted by slots 56 (Fig ure 4) ,may" readily be caused to correspondac curately with: the zero pointof the associatedtimer dial 5'4 (Figure l); In addition to-its-selfstarting function, accordingly wire: I60 servesas an automatic stopping meansfor' the: timer movement.

Considering now the fully wound feature" of:- the inventiomit willbe noticed from Figure 5 7 that if the winding movement is continued through: the substantially full 360 degrees of movement, cams I00 and H12 arecarriedaround sufficiently far, in: a counterclockwise direction relativeto pin I I2, to bring the concave surface- H5 on1cam'IB2, into engagement;- with pin I12; Continued winding movement causes-cam I02 to' rotate in aclockwise direction, relative=to cam' I005. about pin I05; during the course of which movement: the :concave surface I I 5=moves radially outwardly relativelto'the arbon 42% .and carries' pin M2 to. an outerlimit position} which' is defined by" theengagemehtof an outwardly turned flange I:I"I-,.on:lever: Iil ltw-itln. the side of: an associated slot I19:whichds provided in the rear movement plate 301 Such: engagement aiiords a positive mechanical limit to the: winding movement In accordance with l the i presentinvention; this additional movement oi the hammer lever- I14 also serves" to block movement of the escapeme'nt me'chanismi More particularly, such 'final i movementswings wire I62 from the: running position ofi'Eigure 8 to the fully: wound'or stoppingiposi tion-of Figure 10 in' which:the end ofwire: I62 liesbehind and ih blockin relationj t'o' the holding portion 94 on the verge arm 12. Release of the knob 50 at the fully wound position, accordingly, does not initiate an unwindin movement, since the escapement mechanism is blocked. As will be understood, the final movement of the hammer lever may also be used to operate additional instrumentalities, such as switches, bells, or the like.

To initiate an unwinding movement from the fully wound position, knob 50 may be manually turned in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, through a. small angle, sufficient to cause the surface H on cam 102 to clear the hammer lever pin H2. Such return movement, which is permitted by virtue of the clutch 66, enables the hammer lever pin H2 to swing back to the normal cocked position, in which wires I60 and I62 occupy the running position shown in Figure 8.

Although only a single specific embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it will be appreciated that various modifications in the form, number, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a timing device, an arbor, a main spring for 10 driving said arbor, escapement mechanism for controlling the rate of movement of the arbor, Winding means for winding said main sprin in preparation for a said driving movement, and control means responsive to a predetermined degree of said winding movement and engageable with said escapement mechanism for blocking movement thereof, whereby to prevent a said driving movement of said arbor, said escapement mechanism being of the verge type including an oscillatory arm, and said control means including a flexible element which is engageable with said arm.

GLENN MORSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 180,594 Johnson Aug. 1, 1876 801,306 Emerson Oct. 10, 1905 864,726 Emerson Aug. 27, 1907 2,274,635 Rhodes Mar. 3, 1942 

